The business and culture of our digital lives, from the L.A. Times

PETA closes Go Daddy account after CEO shoots elephant

April 1, 2011 | 8:06
pm

Bob Parsons, chief executive of the Internet domain-hosting company Go Daddy, has been roiled in controversy after he killed an elephant in Zimbabwe and posted a video of the hunt on his blog that justified the shooting because the meat fed villagers and helped farmers scare pachyderms away from crops.

In response, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals closed its account with Go Daddy and urged others to do the same, according to a note on the PETA website.

"Parsons is hiding behind the lame claim that killing elephants helps farmers in Africa whose crops are damaged by the animals. In fact, there are ample effective and nonlethal methods to deter elephants from crops, including using chili-infused string and beehives on poles to create low-cost 'fences,' " the note said. "Instead of coming up with flimsy excuses for killing these highly intelligent and social animals, Parsons should use his wealth to fund humane solutions to human/elephant conflicts."

PETA said that Parsons has also killed at least one "leopard for his personal enjoyment."

Parsons defended himself in a blog post:

"The people there have very little, many die each year from starvation and one of the problems they have is the elephants, of which there are thousands and thousands, that trash many of their fields destroying the crops. These people have literally nothing and when an elephant is killed it's a big event for them, they are going to be able to eat some protein," he wrote.

He added that his hunting group typically only kills one elephant per pack and concentrates on old bulls, which he said "has no effect on the herd" because younger bulls breed in their place.